WELCOME, FÁILTE TO SLIGO FESTIVALS & EVENTS 2011-2012 sligotourism.ie WELCOME HOME OF TO SLIGO WESTLIFE Sligo, our hometown, where a warm welcome and good times await you, it will come as no surprise that Sligo has a calendar crammed with a range of vibrant festivals and events. The highest calibre of international, national and local artists grace Sligo venues in a sparkling series of arts and cultural events throughout the year. So check out What’s On Sligo’s events calendar and ensure that your visit coincides with a festival for a truly memorable trip. Shane, Mark and Kian MARCH / APRIL 2011 FEIS SHLIGIGH SLIGO MYTHS AND Sligo Town LEGENDS SCHOOL March 26 – April 20 April 29 – 01 May Irish Dancing. English Verse Learn about our Myths & Legends Speaking, Comortaisi Gaeilge, through storytelling and theatre. Traditional Music, Classical Music www.lughzone.ie and Drama. www.feis-shligigh.ie CEILIURADH AN EARRAIGH GURTEEN SLIGO NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL April 30 - 02 May The Model, Sligo Town This traditional music festival to April 16 -17 celebrate Spring and the ancient Ian Wilson,Director, with special Bealtine Festival brings to one guests Australian musicians venue the cream of traditional music – electric guitarist and soundscape performers in Ireland today. artist extraordinaire Oren Ambarchi www.colemanirishmusic.com and one of the world’s leading recorder players, Genevieve Lacey. DRUMCLIFFE CHAMBER www.themodel.ie MUSIC FESTIVAL Drumcliffe Church April 30 - May 02 SOUTH SLIGO SPRING Key performers The Vogler Quartet. WALKING FESTIVAL For classical aficionados - the South Co Sligo April 09 -10 emerging talents of Ireland perform The annual South Sligo Spring alongside long established names Walking Festival Lough Talt and on the International chamber music the Ox Mountains. scene. www.oxmountain.com www.sligoarts.ie FEIS CEOIL Sligo Town April 25 - 28 Established in 1903, it has a proud tradition of fostering a love of the arts in Sligo and throughout Ireland. www.sligofeisceoil.ie MAY / JUNE 2011 COS COS SEAN NOS SLIGO RACES DANCE FESTIVAL Sligo Town, May 23 Monday (E) Rathcormac, Drumcliffe Flat and National Hunt Racing May 06 - 08 www.countysligoraces.com The Festival promotes the oldest of our Irish art forms through WRITER’S RETREAT workshops, concerts, ceili, sessions THE CREATIVE WRITER’S in dance, music, singing, lilting, WORKSHOP / FICTION storytelling, bodhran and bones. WRITING www.coscos.ie Markree Castle, Collooney May 23 - 26 THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION Residential Writer’s Retreat Sligo Town, May 06 - 08 with Irene Graham. Exploring A Gaelic culture and Columban/ the inner creativity, story creation island monasticism encouraged and fiction writing using migration, specially literary, on the right-brain/left-brain learning sea-routes of the Northwest and techniques and exercises. Scotland. www.thecreativewritersworkshop.com www.sligofieldclub.ie FLEADH CHEOIL AN POST TOUR OF SLIGO CHONTAE SHLIGIGH Sligo & Environs May 08 Strandhill, June 03 - 05 Get on your bike!. This year’s Sligo County Fleadh The Hazelwood Family Spin 10km; Cheoil will take place in Stranhdill. The Lough Gill Circuit - 60 km and www.comhaltas.ie The Ox Mountain Challenge- 160km www.sligosportandrecreation.ie THE ANNUAL RIVERSTOWN VINTAGE FESTIVAL OX MIDWEEK WALKS Riverstown, June 04 - 05 May 18 - 20 Enniscrone Saturday for vintage enthusiasts. www.ceol-na-mara.com Sunday is the ever popular Children’s Day which features bouncy castles, face painting and lots more. SLIGO RACES www.sligofolkpark.com Sligo Town, May 1 Sunday Flat and National Hunt Racing www.countysligoraces.com MAY / JUNE 2011 TEMPLE HOUSE CELTIC FRINGE FESTIVAL MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL Grange June 24 - 26 Ballymote June 10 - 12 This festival will retell the fascinating The three day music and arts story of the Spanish Armada of 1588 extravaganza will see over 80 acts in Sligo, through music, song, dance, perform on three stages with an drama, gourmet & maritime events. eclectic line-up of music including www.celticfringefestival.com alternative & indie rock, reggae, funk, blues, soul, dance, roots, folk, trad, PADDY KILLORAN electro and rock & roll. TRADITIONAL MUSIC www.templehousefestival.com FESTIVAL Ballymote, June 25 - 27 SLIGO SET DANCING Commemorates the memory and WEEKEND legacy of Paddy KIilloran and Co Sligo, June 10 -12 his contemporaries. Concerts, Weekend of Set Dancing workshops in Fiddle; Flute; Whistle; and Workshops. For more Concertina; bango and singing. Information contact: Session trail and lots more. Helen Kilgallon: www.comhaltas.ie Email: [email protected] WRITERS STUDIO / THE CREATIVE WRITER’S FIREBALL WORLD WORKSHOP / WORK-IN- CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRESS Rosses Point, June 11 - 24 Markree Castle, Sligo Yacht Club will host the Fireball Collooney, June 27 - 30 World Championship. Racing takes Day Work-in-Progress Writers’ place over two weeks, Studio in a 14th Century Castle 11- 17: International set in the heart of W.B. Yeats Championship. countryside. Facilitated by Irene Graham, founder of The Creative 19 June - 24 June: Writer’s Workshop (1991) and World Championship. Author of The Memoir Writing www.sligoyachtclub.org Workbook, the Writers’ Studio allows advanced writers time to ROSSES POINT SHANTY develop their writing while benefiting AND SEAFARING FESTIVAL from private Story Consultations and daily group workshops on Rosses Point, June 17 - 19 The Art of Language in Story Writing. A mix of great atmosphere, music www.thecreativewritersworkshop. song, poetry and performances bring com this seaside village to life. www.rossespointshanty.com SLIGO RACES Sligo Town, June 28 Tuesday(E) Flat and National Hunt Racing www.countysligoraces.com JULY / AUGUST 2011 BODHRAN sporting events, it annually attracts SUMMER SCHOOL large numbers of competitors and spectators to the region. Moving the Gurteen June 27 - July 01 event to a Saturday for 2011 will World and Irish bring an additional social aspect to champions conduct a the weekend’s sporting festivities. series of workshops. www.connachtmotorclub.com Top class bodhran tuition by internationally renowned championship winners, including SLIGO RACES lectures, lessons, sessions and Sligo Town, July 10 Sunday concert. Flat and National Hunt Racing www.colemanbodhran.com www.countysligoraces.com FLEADH CHONNACHT 2011 SOUTH SLIGO Ballymote, July 01 - 03 SUMMER SCHOOL Oíche Gaelach with bi-lingual quiz; South Co Sligo, July 10 - 16 A lecture on musical heritage; Classes and Workshops; Set Dancing Launch of a CD, “”Sligo Songs””; Daily; Lectures; Recitals; & Sean Nos Concert; Céilí with “”Swallow’s Tail Dancing. Céilí Band””; Singing Club. www.sssschool.org Music competitions will take place from 10.00am. SLIGO JAZZ Tel: +353 86 3650536 SUMMER SCHOOL 2011 E-mail: [email protected] Sligo Town, July 19 -24 A unique festival of jazz, CAIRDE SUMMER FESTIVAL combining education, inspiration and entertainment for musicans Sligo Town, July 02 - 09 of all ages. A week of music, dance, theatre, www.sligojazz.ie children events, visual art, spoken word, street art and spectacle. www.cairdefestival.com COOLANEY SUMMER FESTIVAL SLIGO STAGES RALLY Coolaney, July 22 - 24 A celebration of Coolaney’s rural Co Sligo, July 09 Heritage through music, arts, sports. Sligo Stages Rally in its 30th Year,this www.coolaneydevco.ie year takes place on Saturday July 09. As one of Sligo’s major JULY / AUGUST 2011 YEATS INTERNATIONAL CARMEL GUNNING SUMMER SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL Sligo Town SUMMER SCHOOL July 23 - August 05 Sligo Town, August 01 - 05 If Yeats may be studied in an Music and singing tuition daily. international context, he is best Classes in tin whistle, flute, fiddle, studied in Ireland, the country bodhran banjo, mandolin, traditional of his deepest attachment - and guitar and traditional singing. within Ireland, in Sligo, where he Evening entertainment - pub commemorated the landscape in sessions, music and singing recitals, his poetry. singers night, lecture and irish www.yeats-sligo.com music forum, tutors concert, ceili and farewell session. BALLYMOTE Info: Carmel Gunning, Director HERITAGE WEEKEND Tel: + 353 87 625 0454 Ballymote, July 29 - August 01 E-mail: [email protected] Official opening on Friday night with lectures delivered each night. BLACK PIG FESTIVAL Other activities include daily trips Enniscrone, August 04 - 08 to historical and ancient places of interest. The festival parade, followed by Tel: +353 71 91 83 380 the black pig warriors, and street entertainment. There’s something for everyone! SLIGO MYTHS AND LEGENDS SCHOOL www.blackpigfestival.com Sligo Town July 29 – 31 SLIGO RACES Learn about our myths & Legends through storytelling and theatre. Sligo Town, August 3 (E) August 4 Thurs (E) Ladies Day www.lughzone.ie Sligo Town, August 16 (E) JAMES MORRISON 19th Flat and National Hunt Racing. TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL www.countysligoraces.com Riverstown, July 31 - August 02 Commemorates the musical genius of Sligo fiddler James Morrison and his contemporaries, through concert, street ceilis, workshops, symposium and continuous sessions. This festival is one of Ireland’s most popular traditional music events. www.morrison.ie JULY / AUGUST 2011 TUBBERCURRY THE WARRIORS RUN OLD FAIR DAY FESTIVAL FESTIVAL Tubbercurry, August 05 - 10 Strandhill, August 27th Meet Old Friends and Make This unique event takes its New Ones at one of the longest participants 15km to the top of established Old Fair days in Ireland Knocknarea Mountain around the Events during the festival include megalithic cairn of Queen Maeve of street entertainment; open air Connacht. Athletes must cross grass, bands,bouncy castles and lots heather and loose gravel surfaces more. as well as tackling a 600ft incline. Info: email: tubbercurryoldfair There is also a Fun Warriors Walk, [email protected] live music and street entertainment. [email protected] www.warriorsfestival.com Tel: + 353 87 955 8441 COLEMAN LE MARCHÉ DE FRANCE TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL EUROPEAN MARKET Gurteen, 26th-28th August Tubbercurry August 10th Commemorates the great fiddle Le Marché de France European player, Michael Coleman, who was Market will transform the Main born in Knockgrania, Killavil in 1891 Street into a vibrant meeting place and died in New York in 1945.